Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

   Two of the Sochi Olympic mascots, Snow Leopard and Hare, enjoy bobsleighing Anna, one of my students on the MA in International Tourism at the University of Greenwich, is collecting data for her final research project, investigating the influence of the Sochi Olympics on  perceptions of Russia and its national identity. It is obviously not a terribly easy time to be doing this research, but Anna will treat the data sensitively taking into account the context, and would welcome your frank opinion, including on the current political crisis and recent tragic events. Please could you find the time to respond to her questionnaire, by clicking on the relevant link below?   I have visited Russia I have never visited Russia I am a Russian citizen Anna has also introduced the research project on her own blog, here .

2008 Artistic Gymnastics Olympic Champion, Nastia Liukin, in Sochi this week.  The Sochi Winter Olympic Games begin in seven days' time.  Picture : Sportivnaya Gymnastika on VK.com This blog is about artistic gymnastics in the Russian Federation, and I am not about to dilute that.  However, those of you who regularly read RRG will be aware of Russia's significant investment in the sport, not just to refurbish and improve facilities at Lake Krugloye national training centre, but also around the regions.  Training centres in Siberia, Voronezh, Khimki and Rostov on Don are amongst those which have benefitted.   The headline costs are being paid by VTB, a bank still in the majority ownership (70% or thereabouts) of the Russian government.  VTB's interests rest not only in gymnastics, but in wider sport.  For example, the new VTB Arena, built on the site of the former Dynamo sports centre, is rumoured to be costing around US $1.5 billion, and will be a main...